By FGR Bureau
Global Environment Outlook 6 from the UN Environment Programme has come as another stark warning: “The world is unsustainably extracting resources and producing unmanageable quantities of waste. The linear model of economic growth depends on the extraction of ever-higher quantities of materials, leading to chemicals flowing into air, water and land. This causes ill-health and premature mortality, and affects the quality of life, particularly for those unable to insulate themselves from these effects”.
The fourth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) took place from 11-15 March 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the overall theme, ‘Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production,’ it was acknowledged that UNEA-4 will address:
*environmental challenges related to poverty and natural resources management, including sustainable food systems, food security and halting biodiversity loss;
*life-cycle approaches to resource efficiency, energy, chemicals and waste management; and
*innovative sustainable business development at a time of rapid technological change.
The dialogues addressed, in turn, life-cycle approaches to resource efficiency, energy, chemicals and waste management, and innovative sustainable business development at a time of rapid technological change. Reporting back to plenary in the afternoon, the dialogue moderators highlighted the need for a significant shift toward sustainable consumption and production (SCP), It is noted there is no single definition of a sustainable lifestyle, but that a collaborative effort by all stakeholders can create a chain reaction of change, “if we have the courage to make it happen.”
The Ministerial Declaration contained 26 resolutions and three decisions, addressing many global environmental issues including marine litter and microplastics, single-use plastics, sustainable nitrogen management, and the empowerment of women and girls in environmental governance. They also adopted the UNEP Programme of Work and budget for 2020-21. UNEA-4 extensively called for “Sustainable Management of Plastic Waste including Micro and Nano-Plastics through Innovative Solutions”. It highlighted the urgent need for a paradigm shift toward Sustainable Consumption and Production (SDG goal-17).
It is rightly remarked that “The menace of Plastics is not the core issue, but what to do with the plastic is the actual bone of contention”. In such a scenario, managing the menace of single-use or micro plastics in definitely an arduous task but right steps in right direction shall be rewarding in manifold ways. India has hosted World Environment Day 2018 with the vibrant theme “Beat Plastic Pollution” and the Versova beach cleanup in Mumbai. Recently, ‘Plastic Waste-Free India’ has been anthem has been launched in 7 languages to support India’s campaign to make India plastic-free by 2022.
Taking cognizance of the above success, it is important that we spearhead steps to phase out ‘Single Use Plastics’ and ban micro beads in products. Recognizing the prospects of Circular Approach, initiatives like recycling plastics, promotion of degradable alternatives, appropriate product redesigns to replace plastics as packaging material.
However, the most important priority must focus on appropriate waste management and remediation systems with proportionate ‘Polluter Pay Principle’ to compensate the environmental damage. Without waste management, the purpose of plastic free India gets defeated. The most important imperative towards fighting plastics lies in the assessment of plastic litter across the globe. With harmonized Monitoring, Evaluating & Reviewing methods and techniques, real time data base can be easily facilitated.
Reaffirming the principles of Eco-friendly green practices, Green Attitudes must be promoted to shift towards modern green thinking. To raise awareness globally on the significance of marine plastic litter there must be a sense of urgency to take actions by countries and associated stakeholders. The developed countries while recalling the ‘Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) should pledge to disseminate information, technical assistance and technology transfer to the developing countries at the earliest because, the vagaries of climate change affects them first.
Stressing the importance of the protection and management of coastal ecosystems and their biodiversity in climate change mitigation and adaptation by identifying the causes of damages, improvement of the management of areas to improve environmental services and community welfare, namely environmental services and livelihood must be prime call to address the menace of plastic pollution.
Seeking a wavelength of Deeper & Practical solutions….
Finding a solution to an underlying problem is a tedious task altogether. However, prudent and practical solutions hold the key to effectively circumvent the problems and challenges to a larger possible extent.
Infrastructure is critical to achieving the 2030 Agenda. It is estimated that an additional US$1 trillion/year will have to be invested in infrastructure to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Simply put, infrastructure underpins the global economy, and countries cannot achieve sustainable development without infrastructure. The notion of reduction of micro plastic pollution should stand in synchronous with the underlined Sustainable development goal (SDG) 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Life under water). A “Plastic free” charter envisaging a toxic free and plastic free future for every single living entity is the need of the hour and parties should take measures to ensure the minimum generation of hazardous waste.
Innovative infrastructure creates synergistic opportunities for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. When properly designed, innovative infrastructure has the potential to simultaneously promote economic, environmental and social Goals. For eg promoting nature-based solutions, including green and natural infrastructures, as key components of systems-level strategic approaches to infrastructure planning and development.
Plastic is not the problem, but what to do with the plastic is the real problem”. In this regard, managing the use and the disposal of micro plastics in an arduous task but efforts taken in right direction in nascent stages shall be rewarded in the coming future.
Innovative infrastructure implies multiple levels of innovation. The transition to sustainable infrastructure will require multiple forms of innovation. Policy innovation is essential to facilitate macro-level, integrated planning as well as investment in sustainable infrastructure. Institutional innovation is necessary to provide a decision making environment that supports a transition toward sustainable infrastructure planning and investment. Technology innovation is required to meet the scientific and technical challenges of designing sustainable infrastructure. Financial innovation is necessary to address the issue of lack of investment for infrastructure projects, which is a major challenge currently facing sustainable infrastructure.
But at the grassroots, development and strengthening of national and regional systems-level strategic approaches to infrastructure planning and development that incorporate inclusiveness, resilience, security and environmental sustainability across different sectors, in close connection to the 2030 Agenda.
Summing up, ending plastic pollution should stand in synchronous terms with SDG goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation), 11 (Sustainable cities and communities),13 (Climate action),14 (Life below water), 16 (Life on land ) and 17 (Partnerships for the goals). Integrating and Interlinking the mandated SDGs will help alleviate the problem of plastic pollution to a larger level.
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